Few studies have looked closely at the costs of virtual
learning. Most research involving virtual learning focuses on student or school
performance, as evidenced by the more than 1,100 studies from 1996 to 2008
screened for the U.S. Department of Education’s meta-analysis. No study has
used empirical evidence from Michigan to estimate the associated costs of
virtual learning.

Yet an understanding of the associated costs of online
programs and virtual schools is important. States like Michigan are struggling
to maintain their programs in the face of declining enrollment, depressed tax
revenues and rising labor costs. Online learning may provide a cost-effective
way to maintain or improve the quality and variety of school programs.